Hmm, a hint of truffle perhaps caramel too, such a good and fresh width of aroma. Quite direct and fresh but intense and with lovely, melting, flavour over the palate. Long, mineral – ooh a great finish!
2008
2008 Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin
The nose has some herbal notes to begin with; building and building in the glass to offer aromas that show a very impressive depth of cushioned red fruit – very fine indeed (some might say). Round, with very fine acidity, the tannins have just a little grip but are pretty-much overwhelmed by the fresh fruit flavours. Sleek lines for a Griotte but super, flavour.
2008 Damoy Pierre Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze
Medium, medium-plus colour. Lovely precise dark fruits on the nose, partly shaded to black, hints of minerals too before a beautiful note of violets takes centre-stage – just lovely. Cool in the mouth with initially understated impact, yet there is a wonderful complexity of fruit flavours. Just about perfect acidity finally meets tannin with a little hard grain to it. Long and very fine indeed – a clear winner!
2008 Cornu Corton
2008 Camus Chambertin
2008 Camus Mazy-Chambertin
This was drunk in the evening in the company of other producer’s wines. Understated aromatics of herb and soil – interesting and not without depth. In the mouth this is quite linear but with good acidity – nothing tart about any of the 08 Camus range – quite long and interesting too. In the mid-palate there is no sparkle but there is a hint of muscle.
2008 Marchand Pascal Corton
Medium colour. The nose delivers spades of interest; high-toned dark, minerally fruit over a slightly diffuse but engaging core – I can’t help sniffing – a slightly musky and stemmy impression also adds value to set against some barrel vanilla and coconut (100% oak as only 1 barrel!). In the mouth there’s enough fat to easily balance the lovely acidity, and the flavour slowly builds to a crescendo in the mid-palate – there is perhaps a hint of CO2 that turns up the volume of the fireworks, but fireworks there are, and it seems very well judged. The flavours are dark red, almost blue-skinned fruit and they last incredibly well – even for a Grand Cru – admittedly there’s some of that coconut thing going on again in the finish, but this delivers oodles of precocious loveliness. Super – drink it over the next 12 months to enjoy this performance or wait at least fifteen years for harmony and something of the real Corton